WASHINGTON — (BUSINESS WIRE) — June 24, 2011 —
Following President Obama’s visit today to the National Robotics
Engineering Center at Carnegie Mellon University, organizations
constituting the National Robotics Roundtable applauded the
administration’s new manufacturing and robotics initiative and touted
the role robotics and unmanned systems will play in creating jobs,
strengthening the economy and ensuring American competitiveness in the
global marketplace. The Administration’s National Robotics Initiative is
part of a $500 million dollar project to boost America’s high-tech
manufacturing sector.

“We are pleased to welcome President Obama to Carnegie Mellon University
today. The steps announced by the President will advance U.S.
leadership, spur new industries and create new jobs,” said Jared
L. Cohon, president of Carnegie Mellon University. “Robotics is at
the heart of the race for 21st century global economic leadership, as
current and emerging robotic innovations will become increasingly vital
to keeping us healthy, safe and prosperous in the next decade and
beyond. Now, more than ever, it’s important that industry, academia, and
government work together to ensure our economic security and global
competitiveness.”

Robotics and unmanned systems have the potential to extend our human
reach and expand our human capacity in a variety of industries,
including manufacturing, defense and security, healthcare,
transportation, agriculture and natural resource management. Meanwhile,
robots are already at work addressing a number of our nation’s most
critical needs, including reinvigorating the U.S. manufacturing base,
protecting our citizens and soldiers, preserving our environment, making
surgery less invasive, exciting our kids about math and science, and
enabling people with disabilities to lead normal, productive lives.

For example, U.S. doctors are currently utilizing sophisticated robotic
devices to perform complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach,
leading to a lower risk of infection, quicker recovery times and a
shorter hospital stay. And a small wire basket manufacturer in
Baltimore, MD that invested in robotics has seen its revenue increase
six-fold, enabling them to expand (from 18 to 30 employees) and increase
worker wages from $6 to $24 per hour. In an economy marked by
importation, the company is exporting its products to the shores
of China and 34 other countries.

“Investing in robotics is more than just money for research and
development, it is a vehicle to transform American lives and revitalize
the American economy,” commented Helen Greiner, president and CEO of
CyPhyWorks, president of the Robotics Technology Consortium, and
co-founder of iRobot. “Indeed, we are at a critical juncture where
we are seeing robotics transition from the laboratory to generate new
businesses, create jobs and confront the important challenges facing our
nation. The nation’s robotics community is collectively poised to
advance the technology and at the same time accelerate the transition of
these technologies from the lab into the market.”

A number of recent man-made and natural disasters have further
exemplified the new and emerging uses for robotics and unmanned systems.
In the aftermath of Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, robotic
systems were used to inspect the damage at its Fukushima plant, a task
too dangerous for humans. In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon
explosion, unmanned underwater vehicles were deployed to contain the
flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Other unmanned systems have been
deployed nationally to survey and help in search and rescue and control
situations such as the Red River flood in North Dakota and the Southwest
wildfires. Every day, robots and unmanned systems serve as eyes in the
sky and perform dangerous tasks for our troops overseas, providing an
extra level of protection in hostile and dangerous environments.

In fact, the vast majority of robotics and unmanned systems innovation
is happening in nascent small businesses – the backbone of our economy.
Federal investments in robotics and unmanned systems can ensure these
companies grow, thrive, and spur our economic recovery.

The National Robotics Roundtable is arranging interviews with a
number of experts on robotics’ role in job creation, innovation and
keeping America competitive. To schedule an interview, please contact
Zach Lowe at 202-777-3529 or at Email Contact.

The National Robotics Roundtable is a multi-sector coalition of
businesses, trade associations, universities and research organizations
committed to raising awareness of the impact and importance of robotics
as a pillar of 21st century American
innovation. The Roundtable advocates for policies and investments in
robotics that create jobs, grow the economy and help America gain a
competitive edge in the global marketplace. To learn more, visit
http://www.roboticsroundtable.org/.